White House: Gun control is held back by Congress members 'terrified' of the NRA

AP White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that some members of Congress are too "terrified" of the National Rifle Association to pass stricter gun legislation.

Earnest was fired up when he addressed the lack of congressional action on gun violence during his daily media briefing, just a day after two people went on a shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California that left 14 people dead.

Earnest said that President Barack Obama was determined to ensure mass shootings "aren't considered routine," but said it was up to Congress to take action to help prevent further attacks.

"If we want to make it harder for individuals to carry out these kinds of acts in the future, it's time for Congress to pass laws that make it harder for people who shouldn't have guns from getting them," Earnest said.

Obama has repeatedly called on Congress to pass "common sense" gun legislation, such as preventing those who've been barred from traveling on an airplane due to security risks from purchasing a gun.

"That is a simple proposition, I don't understand," Earnest said before correcting himself. "Actually, I do understand why it's controversial and it's simply because we have too many members of Congress that are terrified of the NRA."

Earnest's criticisms of the NRA weren't the first slam on the organization Thursday. Earlier in the day, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) called the NRA a "quasi-militant wing of the Republican party" on the Senate floor.